a week in Chinchil {and a night in the Andes}

{a week in Chinchil}
 
First step: 24 hour bus ride to Huacrachuco (a little mountain town)
Next step: 2+ hour combi ride
Last step(s): 2+ hour hike to Chinchil due to mud slides

We began our ministry on Tuesday morning by going to a school to have a Bible club with the kids.  
We played games, sang songs, and taught them a Bible lesson about our great God!

 In the afternoons, we had a Bible club for all the kids in the Chinchil.  The first afternoon, we had over 100 kids come to the cancha (football field)!  The kids were so attentive to the lessons and loved doing the craft projects at the end :) (note to self: always plan for more kids than you think because all the kids in town might show up!)

After Bible clubs, we played soccer and volleyball with the jovennes (or played endless games of "gato y ratoncito" with the niños :)

{a night in the Andes}

 The plan was to leave Chinchil Friday morning for Huacrachuco, spend the night, and leave for Lima Saturday morning.  But God's plans were a little different :)  It rained all night long to the point where the people of Chinchil suggested that we stay a few days to let the water dry up and to avoid more mud/rock slides.  But the combi driver called and said he would be waiting for us at a certain point, so we took off walking.  (this picture is only one-half of our group since the other half was still climbing the side of the mountain)

And we walked.  More like we hiked, all over the Andes mountains between Chinchil and Huacrachuco.  Every place we got to said that a combi couldn't make it and we would have to keep going toward Huacrachuco.  Our guide insisted it wasn't much farther, but we soon learned that she didn't know the way either.  She always took the combi and was just following the path ahead.  But hiking in the dark is a little dangerous so after 9+ hours of hiking we settled down in an area near a waterfall and decided to spend the night, in just what we had with us (our travel clothes and a couple backpacks).  Just in case you were ever wondering, the Andes mountains are pretty chilly at night :)  We huddled as close together as possible to keep our body heat in and prayed that it wouldn't rain (and that our little near-by skunk friend would keep moving on, which he did ;)

The next morning, we watched the sun rise over the mountains and began our camino on toward Huacrachuco.  People kept telling us that the town was "just around the next bend" or "only 5 minutes away" (or another 1 1/2 hrs away for a group of very hungry, not-well-altitude-adjusted gringos :).  We finally made it to Huacrachuco but missed our bus back to Lima.  Nothing is a surprise to our great God!  On Sunday, we were able to see two new believers take the first step by being baptized in the river behind the Baptist church in Huacrachuco.  It was a perfect way to end our adventure :)

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.   Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31